In 2018, the Partnership updated the Nose Creek Watershed Water Management Plan (Plan) as a means to protect riparian areas, improve stormwater management, and improve water quality in the Nose Creek watershed. Throughout the Plan update process, it was clear that a common modelling tool was needed to explore water and stormwater management options at the watershed scale.
The main priorities for the NCWP during the next three to five years are to:
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Develop a comprehensive hydrologic, hydraulic and water quality modelling tool (Nose Creek Model) to support multi-jurisdictional land use management in the Nose Creek watershed, and implementation of targeted projects to mitigate impacts of flood and drought, and improve water quality.
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Implement a comprehensive water monitoring program (discharge and quality) required to support the model development, and improve watershed condition reporting.
The development of the Nose Creek Model is being completed in Phases:
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Phase I - Model Scoping Study (Complete and Available Here)
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Phase II - Model Development (Complete and Available Here)
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Phase IIB - HEC-RAS Model Component (Underway)
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Phase III - Model Sensitivity Analysis and Calibration
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Phase IV - Apply the Model and Assess Current-State Watershed Condition
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Phase V - Evaluate Watershed Management Strategies and Options
IMPLEMENTATION
Nose Creek Hydrologic, Hydraulic and Water Quality Model Project
Develop a watershed-scale model that can measure and predict changes in watershed hydrology, hydraulics and water quality through time.
Objective 1
Apply the model to better understand current watershed hydrology, hydraulics and water quality.
a) Understand the potential effects of climate change on hydrology and water quality
b) Understand the importance of wetlands and aquifers to water storage
c) Understand the importance of ephemeral and intermittent watercourses to maintaining streamflow and water quality
d) Determine the impact of water allocation and use on streamflow in the creeks
Objective 2
Evaluate watershed management strategies that can achieve the recommended outcomes of the Nose Creek Plan.
a) Better understand the interaction among existing communities, recently built communities, and future development in relationship to Nose and West Nose creeks, considering hydrologic/hydraulic, water quality and fluvial-morphological interactions
b) Evaluate the ability of the runoff volume control targets to support an appropriate flow regime, addressing greenfield and redevelopment hydrology
c) Refine water conservation objectives, runoff volume control targets, and water quality objectives
Objective 3
Build and maintain a data inventory and identify data gaps.
Objective 4
Implement watershed resiliency and restoration priority actions based on most feasible projects to mitigate flood and drought, and improve water quality.
Objective 5
Monitor and evaluate implementation to determine if project implementation achieves objectives.